Aechmea plant named ‘Loie&#39;s Pride’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Aechmea plant named ‘Loie&#39;s Pride’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; unique green and yellow variegated foliage with green margins and yellow central longitudinal stripes; inflorescences held upright and above foliage on strong red scapes; tightly branched inflorescences with bright yellow and red flower bracts; and long-lasting inflorescences.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aechmeaplant, botanically known as Aechmea chantinii and referred to by thecultivar name Loie's Pride.

The new Aechmea is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Aechmeachantinii cultivar Little Harv, not patented. The new Aechmea wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor within a population of plants ofthe cultivar Little Harv grown in a controlled environment in Princeton,Fla. in 1987. The new Aechmea was selected based on its unique yellowand green variegated leaves; plants of the cultivar Little Harv havesolid green-colored leaves.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aechmea by offsets taken in a controlledenvironment in Princeton, Fla., has shown that the unique features ofthis new Aechmea are stable and are reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Aechmea has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength, light intensity, fertilizerrate and type, and/or irrigation amount and frequency without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Loie's Pride’ and distinguish‘Loie's Pride’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.

2. Unique green and yellow variegated foliage with green margins andyellow central longitudinal stripes.

3. Inflorescences held upright and above foliage on strong red scapes.

4. Tightly branched inflorescences with bright yellow and red flowerbracts.

5. Long-lasting inflorescences.

Plants of the new Aechmea differ from plants of the cultivar Harvey'sPride, disclosed in the U.S. Plant Patent application Ser. No.09/639,895, primarily in variegation pattern as leaves of plants of thecultivar Loie's Pride have green margins and yellow centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Aechmea, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Aechmea.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of ‘Loie's Pride’ that was about 12 months old andgrown in a 25.5-cm container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical leaves and a typical inflorescence of ‘Loie's Pride’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisonsdescribe plants grown in Princeton, Fla., under a polypropylene-coveredshade house and conditions which closely approximate those used incommercial practice. Plants were grown with an average day temperatureof 25.5° C. and an average night temperature of 18° C. The polypropyleneshadecloth provided a 80 percent decrease in ambient light levels.Single plants used for this description were about 12 months old andgrown in 25.5-cm containers. Color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Aechmea chantinii cultivar Loie's Pride.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch sport mutation of Aechmeachantinii cultivar Little Harv, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—By offsets.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 28 days at temperatures of 29 to35° C. Winter: About 38 days at temperatures of 18 to 27° C.

Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 80 days at temperatures of 29 to35° C. Winter: About 120 days at temperatures of 18 to 27° C.

Root description.—Fine and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Upright and outwardly arching growth habit. Rosetteleaves are erect when young, becoming outwardly arching withdevelopment. Appropriate for 25.5-cm containers. Plants readily produceoffsets.

Crop time.—From offsets, typically about 11 to 14 months are required toproduce flowered finished plants in 25.5-cm containers.

Plant height.—Soil surface to top of leaf canopy: About 90 cm. Soilsurface to top of inflorescence: About 118 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 120 cm.

Growth rate/vigor.—Vigorous.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis. Quantityof leaves per plant: About 38. Shape: Linear. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin:Very sharp spines. Length: About 92 cm. Width: About 9.3 cm. Aspect:Concave. Texture: Leathery, thick; lower surface, glaucous and dull.Color: Young and mature leaves, upper surface: Central longitudinalstripes, between 6C and 6D underlain with close to 147A; margins andparallel longitudinal stripes towards the margins, close to 147A. Youngand mature leaves, lower surface: Central longitudinal stripes, between6C and 6D overlain with close to 147A; margins and parallel longitudinalstripes towards the margins, close to 147A; dulled.

Inflorescence description:

Inflorescence form.—Large terminal inflorescences arranged in tightlybranched and spirally twisting lateral panicles supported by erect andstrong scapes. About 18 lateral panicles each with about 22 individualflowers. Flowers ovoid in shape; bright red and yellow flower bracts.

Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Aechmea are verylong-lasting; typically bract color will be maintained for about two tofour months.

Inflorescence size.—Length: About 28 cm. Width: About 13 cm.

Lateral panicle size.—Length: About 9.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.4 cm.

Flower size.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.

Primary bracts.—Arrangement: Subtend each tri-lateral panicle. Shape:Linear. Length: About 11.7 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Texture: Glaucous.Color: 46C.

Flower bracts.—Arrangement: Closely adhered to sepals. Shape: Elongate,sharply acuminate. Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Texture:Smooth. Color: Initially yellow green, 154A, becoming bright yellow, 9A,then bright red, 46C to 46D, starting at the base.

Petals.—Appearance: Not united, usually with two scales inside ofsepals. Color: White to green, 154A.

Scape.—Strength: Very strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Length: About 118cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Texture: Sticky, glaucous. Color: 46D.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Aechmea tolerate temperaturesfrom 3 to above 41° C.

Disease resistance: Disease resistance to pathogens common to Aechmeahas not been documented.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aechmea plant named‘Loie's Pride’, as illustrated and described.